News of: Saturday, 14th of June, 2008

Front Page

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is set to suspend selling rice in its fair price outlets in the capital within two or three days, and the suspension will remain in effect until the government's ongoing rice procurement programme across the country wraps up.

Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday asked the caretaker government not to bow down to any pressure for weakening the rule of law, while demanding investigations of government personnel who are associated with corruptionists.

Detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia might be released anytime by next week if the issue of her detained elder son Tarique Rahman's release is settled soon, since she does not want to submit her petition until then, highly placed sources said.

How a corrupt policeman can harass people and compel them to bribe by misusing power came to light late Thursday night when the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) arrested a sub-inspector (SI) of Cantonment Police Station.

Shunning the focus on merely addressing the current needs, the government should look to long-term goals emphasising gender issues while presenting a budget, speakers at a press conference yesterday said.

Nepal's Maoists said their new government will go for a fresh probe into the 2001 palace massacre and also investigate whether deposed king Gyanendra had any foreign bank account, a day after he quit the palace.

The government should introduce 40 percent reserved seats and make specific budgetary allocation for female representatives in local government to establish equal rights of women and empower them, speakers said at a workshop yesterday.

Today is the 11th anniversary of Magurchhara gas-well explosion. On the night of this day in 1997, a massive blowout torn apart the Magurchhaqra gas field in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila while US energy company Occidental was drilling a well there.

A regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) was killed during a “shootout” between his accomplices and police at Akna Banshbaria village under Raninagar upazila of Naogaon district early yesterday.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is all set to add another feather to his cap when his impressive side lock horns with their old foes Pakistan in the Kitply Cup final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.

At least 18 teams of Awami League (AL) leaders will begin a 10-day tour across the country on June 20 to organise AL units, boost its activities ahead of the parliamentary elections and to press home its six-point demand.

A two-day conference on “Bangladesh in the 21st century” began at the Centre of Government and International Studies (CGIS) of Harvard University yesterday, according to a message received in Dhaka last night.

The US Supreme Court ruling that Guantanamo prisoners can challenge their detention in US civilian courts dealt a blow to President George W. Bush, but a senior official said Friday the military trials will continue.

Editorial

Hardly had a day passed in the last several weeks without reports appearing in the media of incidents of people falling victims to attacks by criminals. The worrisome aspect is that these killings resulted from petty matters that should have been solved in a more urbane manner. Only the other day two businessmen were killed because of disputes emerging out, ostensibly, of unfulfilled obligation of one party or the other. It seems that resorting to violence and killing have become the preferred arbiter of disputes.

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has talked about freeing the local government system from the direct influence of the Members of Parliaments (MPs). We understand, the main objective behind the move is to allow the system to become autonomous so that it can run its own affairs with greater efficiency. In this regard, a fresh law has already been drafted by the government, which would empower a chairman of the Upazila Parishad to plan and carry out development activities, without looking upto the local MP. It may be mentioned here that earlier the commission on strengthening local government system had recommended for non-interference of the MPs.

FOR most of us, one of the important tasks after waking up is to reach for the newspaper. To an extent, we have become slaves to this habit. Keeping ourselves informed of what happened yesterday helps us to determine what we will be doing today. In more ways than one, the morning newspaper also guides our thinking on important issues and helps to put things into perspective.

FOUR years is a long period in government to prove your mettle. A few days ago Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's fourth anniversary in office was celebrated in Delhi, with Congress president Sonia Gandhi hosting a dinner. Public participation was nowhere. Probably, this epitomises the four-year-old rule of Manmohan Singh.

OFFSHORE banking refers to international banking involving non-residents' foreign currency- denominated assets and liabilities. It covers only non-residents and does not mix with domestic banking. A non-resident is a person, bank or firm who/which resides outside Bangladesh. Non-residents also include Bangladesh nationals who reside abroad. Offshore banking units can carry on their activities of deposit taking from and lending to international enterprises or investors without conflict with the domestic fiscal and monetary policy. In short, offshore banking is international banking kept separate from domestic banking with freedom of functioning.

Sports

While it was all quiet on the Indian front, the Pakistani camp was rather shaken by an embarrassing defeat and its aftermath before revival of the old foes' rivalry on the eve of today's Kitply Cup final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

A penalty save by Gianluigi Buffon spared Italy a second defeat of Euro 2008 but the world champions' involvement in the tournament was still left hanging by a slender thread after a 1-1 draw with Romania here on Friday.

Pakistan cricket coach Geoff Lawson may have rubbished reports that team was not united but if sources are to be believed all is not well in the Pakistan team and even some players are questioning credentials of Lawson as an international coach.

A spirited and inform Maldives stand in reigning champions India's way to claim their fourth SAFF Championship title as the two teams meet in the final of the fifth edition of the regional football competition today.

Croatian-born Austrian player of the year Ivica Vastic became the oldest scorer in Euro championships history as he converted an injury-time penalty to give the co-hosts a 1-1 draw with Poland and ironically send his Croatia compatriots into the Euro 2008 quarterfinals.

Euro 2008 briefs on Friday:IN THE LIMELIGHTSALZBURG: Exasperated by fans relieving themselves anywhere they pleased after having one too many beers, host city Salzburg has installed brighter lightbulbs in streetlamps around the old town fan zone to shine a light on those trespassing supporters. The streets are also being patrolled regularly to catch any potential offenders.

With Test cricket facing a challenge from the action-packed Twenty20 version of the game, Australia captain Ricky Ponting recently came up with a simple idea to make the five-day game more exciting -- bring back fast bouncy wickets.

Talat Ali, the Pakistan team manager, has played down the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf's scathing remarks to the management following the side's 140-run defeat to India in the Kitply Cup.

Metropolitan

An international study on managing non-communicable diseases suggests that lessons learnt from it can be replicated to other developing countries including Bangladesh to fight diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, asthma, epilepsy and mental illnesses.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) applauds Bangladesh's proactive stance on climate change, for which the country is not responsible but is likely to witness displacement of millions of people and agricultural loss due to floods and sea level rise.

The real history of the partition of the sub-continent in 1947, language movement in 1952, and the liberation war in 1971 should be preserved for the new generation so that it cannot be distorted, said historians at a seminar yesterday.

Primary school teachers on Thursday announced a month-long countrywide programme to protest the government decision to allow Brac, a leading NGO, to supervise all primary schools in 20 upazilas under a pilot project.

Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) started project formulation study on Thursday to develop road network and flood protection embankments under two huge projects involving Tk 10,000 crore in the port.

Leaders of Save the Environment Movement (SEM) along with the local people yesterday protested the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) initiative to construct roads at Mirpur Section-12 after cutting a good number of trees.

The road communication between Dhaka-Dinajpur via Gabindaganj upazila remained snapped since Thursday evening due to collapse of a bailey bridge at Khalshi, two kilometres off the upazila headquarters.

National

Frustration has gripped shrimp cultivators as the major export earning sector is facing a serious set back this year due to spread of a viral disease in farms and drastic fall of prices in foreign markets.

Names of 18 martyred freedom fighters of Netrakona district have not been included on the plaque in the recently set up martyred freedom fighters' memorial in front of Netrakona Deputy Commissioner's office.

A total of 151teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) on Thursday demanded of the caretaker government for immediate and unconditional release of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for the sake of democracy.

Shaheed Dr Fazle Rabbi Foundation at a press conference here has demanded of the government to name proposed Pabna Medical College after martyred intellectual Dr Rabbi, also a proud son of the district.

Taiwan and China agreed Friday to end a nearly six-decades-old break in transport links by expanding charter flights and tourism a move seen as a likely harbinger of more ties between the longtime rivals.

Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who attended a meeting of Commonwealth leaders here, has accused Britain of applying double standards to its counter-terrorism policy as the banned Tamil militant group is being allowed to raise money among expatriates in London.

Japan decided to partially lift its sanctions against North Korea after the communist nation promised a new probe into its kidnappings of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s, news reports said Friday.

Two years after Pluto was struck from the planetary A-list and downgraded to "dwarf-planet" status, the ninth rock from the Sun regained some dignity on Thursday by lending its name to a new category of celestial bodies.

Arts & Entertainment

'Chhobir Haat', across the street from Institute of Fine Arts (IFA), Dhaka University, is an open-air gallery. In 2003, a group of IFA students started exhibiting and selling their artworks at the venue. The area is also widely known as 'Mollah' -- after a tea-stall owned by someone called Mollah. Chhobir Haat is akin to a rural haat, where traders in makeshift stalls or under the open sky offer their goods. The venue is open to all on Fridays -- from morning till evening.

He has been in cinema for half a century. He has been master director Satyajit Ray's favourite hero in his films. But it was for the first time that the 73-year-old thespian won the Indian National Award for best actor. Yes, we are talking about veteran Bengali film actor Soumitra Chatterjee. Surprising it may seem, but it is true.

OP-ED

IN view of the large-scale arrests made by Bangladesh Police in recent times, it would be worthwhile to recollect that various constitutional rights in the nature of human rights of individual suspects come under the direct handling of police in all stages of crime investigation -- from arrest to imprisonment. In a country like Bangladesh, where stricter penal laws have to be enacted to curb the terrorist menace and other criminal mischief -- to be enforced by the police not trained to a necessary level -- there is always likelihood of abuse of powers by the police in negation of the individual's rights.

ILL-conceived policies of the past that still continue have created nightmarish conditions in our cities. Worst affected is the Dhaka city that grapples with oversized population, scanty land space compared to heavy exodus from rural outbacks, noxious emissions and toxic effluents from big and small factories coupled with recurrent thrust of natural disasters like flood, and storms. Compounding the crisis resulting from the deterioration of physical environment is the unceasing wave of terrorism, violence and crime committed in the streets even in broad day light because of lax governance and weak policing.

DEDICATED planning and timely supports can make Bangladesh food-surplus and ensure food security for its population. This year's net food grain shortage is only 0.1 mil. ton against a total demand of 26 mil. tons (despite 1.8 mil. tons standing crops damage by back-to-back floods and Sidr). Bangladesh produced 24.3 mil. tons of food grains in 1999-2000 matching the requirements of the then 130 mil. population and since then it is on the fringe of self-sufficiency. Presently, Bangladesh has 8.29 mil. ha. of cultivable land and about 145.6 mil. population. Each year, the country is loosing about 1 percent of its cultivable lands to non-agricultural uses while its popualtion is increasing by about 2 mil. A yearly incremental production of 0.35 mil. ton in addition to 2 mil. tons average deficit is required for food grains self-sufficiency.

Urban

It is now effectively not possible to move in Dhaka City. It is now not possible to predict the travel time for distances barely two to three kilometres long. It is now not possible not to be hesitant to venture on to the street, on foot or on a vehicle, private or public.

In order to solve the transportation problem of Dhaka City, the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for Dhaka City was initiated in March, 2004 by GOB with the assistance of World Bank, and with Louis Berger Inc. as Principal Consultants and Bangladesh Consultant Ltd. as local partner. In August, 2004 an Advisory Committee comprising of some 32 members from different categories of professionals, engineers, planners, architects, academics and civil servants was appointed to guide and oversee the work of the consultants. The plan (STP) was completed in December, 2005.

Literature

The FNI militias operated from their hideouts at Datule, located north of Kafe. The militias were causing so much of tension and difficulties for the Bangladeshi camps as well as for the Hema refugees that they had to be stopped. A raid on the FNI camp at Datule was ordered from the Sector HQ at Bunia. Bangladeshi troops carried out the operations on the FNI camps and could capture about thirty militias with their weapons and ammunitions. However, most of the militia, about four hundred of them, could escape with their arsenals. They took shelter in the hill of Ndriki, further north.

In hindsight it seems inevitable that this novel about a Bangladeshi in a United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo would be written. The surprise is, all things considered, how well it has been done.

I do not write poetry. At grade school, whenever I've tried my hand at poetry and attempted to pass them off as “sworochito kobita”, I'd inevitably run into a wall. Later, in high school, I would sometimes struggle for an hour or two over multiple drafts and finish off a few lines thinking they rhymed well, or at least sounded OK to me. Then, when I'd read them aloud to my brothers or a cousin, I would get a reality check. Their silence would signal to me that I needed to work harder on my “kabbyo”. I remember that one of my early reviewers shared with me the following critique:

IBS or ‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome’ is one of the most common abdominal disorders. This is not actually a disease and called a syndrome primarily because it is a group of symptoms. This is known by a variety of other names like spastic colon, spastic colitis, mucous colitis, nervous diarrhoea or nervous colon.

Strategic Issues

IN the traditional sense, diplomacy is political diplomacy. This means that diplomats are primarily engaged in political relations because close or strong political relations lead to relations in other areas including economic and trade. Empirical evidence suggests economic relations are not initiated in a significant way in a political vacuum in which there is a lack of trust.

THE operation, codenamed “Azada Wosa” or “Be Free” in Pashtun, has great tactical importance for the occupation forces. The 2,300 troops of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which only arrived in Afghanistan seven weeks ago to reinforce the NATO-commanded International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), were hurled last week into a major assault on insurgent strongholds near the town of Garmser in Helmand province. The guerillas in that area are mostly supporters of the Taliban Islamic fundamentalist movement, which was overthrown by the 2001 US invasion.

CELEBRATIONS attending the tenth anniversary of Pokhran II were unsurprisingly muted. This projected India as a responsible nuclear power, while having internal political utility of denying credit to the current opposition party for tests conducted in its earlier tenure at the helm. The commentary attending the anniversary, however, has generally been along two lines. The first is on how nuclearization has contributed to India's security while the second is on how India is lagging behind in relation to its adversaries. Along the latter direction, there is even motivated talk of a 'missile gap' opening up with Pakistan!

IBM and scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have built the world's fastest supercomputer and will use it to simulate nuclear detonations as a way of assessing the U.S. nuclear stockpile without actually exploding warheads.

Star Books Review

How do you define greatness? And exactly how many fields can a study of greatness cover? The answers to these questions will likely be as intricate as the queries themselves. But when media organisations such as the Bengali Service of the British Broadcasting Service undertake a programme to assess the contributions of Bengali men and women and so arrive at an understanding of what greatness is all about, the effort should be considered rather encouraging. On second thought, however, history is never a matter of individuals coming by popular acclaim. And greatness is not to be assessed through the opinions of radio listeners, for the chances are that a very large number of these listeners are too close to their times to be able to focus on events of the past. And so they are quite likely to miss out on some significant cogs in the wheels of moving time.

Dr. Ehsan Imdad's work, The Art of Marketing Communication and Corporate Culture, is a different kind of book for a number of different reasons. First, it addresses a new and more or less neglected area of marketing communication and corporate culture. Second, it attempts to link the two different areas with practical examples. Third, the book contains practical tips to make marketing a rewarding career. Fourth, the author shows with ease and finesse how a rather complex area, live marketing communication, can be made easy to understand.

The nineteenth century begins again: nationalism, colonialism and imperialism, ethnic and religious violence, growing extremes of wealth and poverty, all reemerge today and with a virulence that calls up their earlier nineteenth-century versions and all the physical and mental struggles against them.

The Prophet is a novella the reader can complete reading within a short span of time. It is comprised of 115 pages only. And yet the wisdom and the insights that the reader gains from this book can seldom be achieved in a whole lifetime. Kahlil Gibran was born in Lebanon and was a poet, philosopher and an artist. The book, a spiritual reincarnation with twenty-six poetic essays, is a pure treasure grove. The reader only has dig into it to come out feeling that he or she has found the ultimate light of life. It is a book that grips your soul from the first page to the last and shakes your senses awake.

Maybe The Line Of Beauty is not an appropriate title for this book. Maybe 'The Line Of Ennui' would make a better substitute. There isn't one aspect of the book which can be discussed, enviously, and yet it's the 2004 Man Booker Prize winner the deceptive praise that lures readers into the trap of purchasing this book.